Monarch Butterfly
Danaus plexippus · Insect, Invertebrate, Cold-blooded, Wild
Animal Family
Family Nymphalidae, order Lepidoptera, class Insecta
Animal Category
Insect/Arthropod, Endangered Species
Breed / Variety
Monarch butterfly
Conservation Status
Endangered according to the IUCN Red List, with a decreasing population trend primarily due to habitat loss, climate change, and the decline of milkweed plants
About This Creature
Large butterfly with a wingspan of 8.9 to 10.2 cm, easily recognized by the easily identifiable black, orange, and white pattern on its wings
Physical Characteristics
Bright orange wings with distinct black veins and borders containing white spots; slender body, black head and thorax with white spots; compound eyes and a long coiled proboscis
Behavior & Temperament
Famous for long-distance multi-generational annual migrations from northern latitudes to overwintering sites in central Mexico and coastal California; diurnal; feeds on nectar; defensive aposematic coloration indicates toxicity
Habitat & Diet
Origin Region
North America, Central America, and South America; introduced to Hawaii, Australia, and parts of Europe and Asia
Habitat
Fields, meadows, wetlands, and near roadsides where milkweed grows; Aerial and Terrestrial
Diet & Nutrition
Herbivorous as caterpillars (exclusively consuming milkweed); nectarivorous as adults, drinking nectar from a variety of flowering plants
Lifespan & Health
Adults live from 2 to 6 weeks for non-migratory generations, while the migratory generation can live up to 8-9 months; preyed upon by birds and small mammals; undergoes complete metamorphosis
Special Characteristics
Accumulates cardiac glycosides from milkweed plants during its larval stage making it toxic and unpalatable to most predators; well-known for one of the most remarkable insect migrations in the world
Ecological Information
Serves as an important pollinator for various flowering plant species and constitutes a food source for numerous predators, playing a vital role in local ecosystems